Fourth Dimension

There's no denying that Fourth Dimension is one of South Florida's hardest-working reggae bands. The group gigs constantly — at least four or five nights out of the week — playing all three counties in South Florida (none of that Miami-only bullshit), and they're actually worth a damn when they plug in their instruments. After eight years of hard work, the band members' dedication to their craft is overwhelmingly apparent on their freshly released new album, Invazion. It's a solid 15-track disc that shows a lot of musical growth and also features the band's impressive new drummer, Joe "Grind" Fagan, keeping the rocksteady groove as strong as ever. One of the catchiest tunes on the album is "Showdown," a reggae spaghetti Western of a jam with a nod to John Wayne and a message urging youth to put down their guns. Another favorite is the Steel Pulse-styled "What a Situation," with its ringing church bells, thick basslines, and two-part harmonies that you can't help but fall in love with after a few listens. Sonically, the album sounds more professional than anything they've done in the past. Much of that can be credited to highly acclaimed reggae producer Karl Pitterson (Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Burning Spear), whom they brought in to help steer the project in the right direction. It's a move that worked. Check out the up­tempo rocker "No Other Woman" for evidence that these guys can write love ballads as well. There's not as much of a Latin vibe here as some might expect, but Fourth Dimension has always tried to incorporate a larger Caribbean style into the music. It's what makes them unique.